Monday, March 7, 2011

Deadly Ties by Vicki Hinze

While not technically a sequel to Forget Me Not, two minor characters in that novel take the lead in Deadly Ties. One should read Forget Me Not before this one.

Mark Taylor is a former Special Operative and is now providing security for a couple threatened by a mafia type group. He falls in love with Dr. Lisa Harper, who has repressed the memories of her childhood abduction. She has been forbidden by the mean second husband of her mother to have any contact with her mother. Lisa, now with the financial means, plans to remove her mother from the abusive marriage.Mark feels compelled to protect Lisa and her mother but his efforts are all to lame. The mother is beaten nearly to death while walking to the party celebrating Lisa's becoming a doctor. At the time of the attack, Mark and Lisa have a eyes only for each other. (This was the first of what I considered many unrealistic scenes in the book.) When Lisa visits her comatose mother in the hospital, she is abducted. (That Mark is in the hospital, and his old team of special ops people are with him, yet he does not protect Lisa, was the second unrealistic scene in the book.)Lisa has been abducted by the mafia type group at the request of the evil stepfather. She, along with other women abducted for a price, are on their way to Mexico where they will be sold. Even though Lisa leads classes in self defense she remains virtually defenseless (more unrealistic aspects of the novel).

While I could go on, I think I have given an idea of my evaluation of this novel. To me, Mark was somewhat of an antihero. He never did the right thing to protect those he loved. Lisa, while being transported across country, manages to sneak out a bathroom window and call Mark, again, something I think rather unrealistic. Mark comes to her rescue, courtesy of the FBI in a number of cars. After some discussion, it is determined that the transport will go on with mark posing as one of the drivers. A woman FBI agent decides to join the abducted women. Through electronics, she remains in contact with the FBI during the entire adventure. (Tell me, when they get to their destination, the women are not searched? One of the women even keeps a flashlight with her! At the trafficker's Mexican home, the FBI agent gives Lisa a small crystal pin to wear. “It's a video camera and streams everything you're seeing and saying right to our people.” P. 287. Where did the FBI agent have that? It is too unrealistic that the trafficker and guards did not strip the women of their, what, purses, pockets?)

And then there is a strange scene when the abducted women finally arrive at their Mexico destination. Mark and Lisa have a nice relaxing chat while the evil human trafficker and his guards stand around, apparently unconcerned that a “driver” is having a head to head lengthy discussion with one of the abducted woman. (Another unrealistic scene.)

I just cannot recommend this book. It is not up to the tight plot construction, well developed (and realistic) characters, and snappy dialogue that I require for recommendation. The only redeeming factor in the book is that the Christianity experienced my the characters is well done.

This book was provided by Multnomah Books for the purpose of this review.

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About Me

I am a retired Christian bookstore owner of 33 years. I still love books and read as many as I can, blogging my reviews. I have also taken up photography and sell photos of Whidbey Island and nearby landscapes.